Congress Demands ‘Statehood’ for Tribal Districts in Assam

Diphu: A delegation of newly formed ‘United Forum for Hills State’ (UFHS), Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao district Congress which backed the organization for statehood met with the Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Sindey in New Delhi Wednesday. Their aim was to discuss the practicability of forming a separate state for the two autonomous and tribal dominated districts of Assam.

The UFHS delegation comprising the elected members of the two autonomous councils, MLA, MP and office bearers of both district congress offices talked about the issue with the minister for a long time.

“The Home Minister has agreed to carry forward the process of discussion for a separate state but has negated the suggestion of an autonomous state as mentioned in Article 244(A) of the constitution; they are willing to discuss article 3 instead. We meet Sambhu Sing, Joint Secretary Home Affairs in-charge of northeast India, who has agreed to visit Diphu sometime within January of 2014. He will meet a cross section of society and assess the ground reality,” Tuliram Ronghang, Chief Executive Member of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council told media yesterday at his official residence.

While countering a media report of a Guwahati based daily that reported the Union Home Minister ruled out any possibility of creating a new state, Tuliram Ronghang said that the media reports are misapprehension of the Minister’s account. He said that if necessary, members of the forum and congress leaders of the two districts occupying public office will resign from their office for the cause of statehood.